Well bailer



Dec. 27, 1949A E. GRAHAM, JR

WELL BAILER Filed Jari. 8, 1945 3,111: EASE i L .V n 1 f a 5 5 a @5 3 55W 3 M rroe/VEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1949 'Eugene Graham,

Jr., Los Angeles j Galif.; assgnor to Grant OilToolCompany, LosS-Angel'esgrCa-lif., a corporation o'Galiforniar Anplication-.Januar-YS, 1945.',1Seria1gNoli5l7L759.

's claims. (01.-1rs-.a19-

'This uwentionfhas to .do with` .improvements in..';ny;irostaaltlc.` well bailers of the. general. type comprisinsa. charger-receiving chamber normally sealedagainstthe entry of well fluid by asuitable closure, v.typically a frangible member .or disc, andA means responsive to predetermined` movemerit of 1thejbailer in. they well for opening the c lQSuletQ permit flow. of' a. sand andvwell fluid charge intothe ,chamhen More particularly, the inyention.dealswithbalers in which the closure is openedgby a mandrelfpart, aswhere a vfrangible disc-type, closure is` to 'be broken by projecting a 'breaker mandrel against. theI disc.

One vof my primary. objectsl is. to. providean improved control` andv actuating. means for 'the closure opening. or breakingr mandrel. In. ac-

confiance, withv .the invention,v the mandrel. .is

spring-actuated in its closure opening` travel and normally is maintained, in retracted condition by a latchdevice adapted tobereleased to ,permit projectionvoi the mandrelby vits springy A further, feature and4 object, is they proyision of a control device operable as .an incident of7 bottoming the bailer in thewell, torelease the. mandrel '.latch. Preferably, though typically, I.

employ asecondaryor tripping mandreloperable upon upward' displacement within the bailer to release the latch devicel andthen. upon openingy ofthe closure, jtc permit the charge to betaken upwardly through the bores of 'bothl mandi-els,v

into the charge-receiving chamber.

These objects are accomplished by a bailer structure'havingvarious othernovel features and,

details'1 all loibvvhich willy be fully understood from,

the following detailed description or the lr i.zenf, tionvas Aembodied in a typical ,andA 'illustrative form. Throughoutlthe-'description reference is had-'tothe 'accompanying drawing, in which:

Iligg-iv'is-'a`v sectional view of the bailershowing the disc- -breakermandrel in its retracted or latched position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing thev position of thefmandrel after its projection against the disc;

Fig. a fragmentary side elevation showing" oir-thefdeSiredcapacity,v AAs will be understood withoutnecessity. iorspec-illeillustratlon- "and further-description, the-:pipe l2 -mayberprovidedf atfitse uppen-.end-'wlth--anyof-^ithemsualfitypes-- off pressnirerelease valves-andaconnection, usuallyv by-way--olf-a jar, 'with-a wireline en whch thebailer is run into and out ofthe well. The sub |0- isthreadedly-'coupled' byy the unloading sleeve i41- -with-thetubular sub I5, and the vlatter has a threaded connection at I'B with the-'lower sec.- tion Hof the body assembly.

The sublil-has4 an unloading'opening or ldump port -I'8 adaptedto -be` brought into ,registry with.

a correspondingopening I9 inthe sleeye i4 by.

tur-ning the sleeve 'from the position ofi Fig, l to.

that illustrated in 'Fig'. 2; Normally the, sleeve is held against accidental turning by lock nut 20 threadedon the sub l5; As shownin Fig. 4', the sub I5 `has flattened surfaces 2| for 'engagement byawrench yto facilitate opening and closingY 'of' the unloading ports; With theparts in the position ofFig.- 2, the charge receiving 'chamber .i3

may be closed at" its lower end` 'by' insertion through the` openings lilV and I9 of a concave frangibleY disc 22 which fits `within an annular recess 23"withinthe sub I0.

The -body contains a vertically movable discV breaker--'mandrel'- 24 Acomprising a tubular 'stem 25-"havingfabore 26 'forming'a passage 'through which the sand'fand'wellfluid charge istaken, upon breaking-of the disc 22, upwardly into the chambervfl". The `mandrel carries fa check valve 21 which-'seats upon reception `oi the vcharge to retainthelatter by lpreventing its return ow down vthroughfthe mandrel-- Themandrel'has-a disc breaker head 2B` comprising a plurality of points 29 adapted to Abe impacted againstand 'to rupturethe-disc' 22, the points also serving to form 'a cage for the ball check-11i Whenreleased "fromthe position ot' Fig. =1'-, themandrer isprojected aga-inst thev` ldiscby-'a coil spring 3u' continedf between the head4 28 and the internalbody 'shoulder 31 Asoriginally Vset yand while lowered into thel Well, the mand-relisreleasably heldv in the-retracted-'position-.o'f-Iiig: 1 'by a suitable latchde'- vioe '32iwhich preerablyfthough typically;` comprises a-*r-irig-SS` yclampedbetween-the end- 34 off sub- 152' yand-shoulder 35- inside the lower body `section 111. Ring 13S-'carries a plurality of irl-tegral; circularly--arrangedresilient latch iingers` 362V engagea'blen against annular -mandrelshoulder- BLat-the bottom-of theltaperedsurface 38; Below` shoulder- 3? the latch ilngers may project out"- wardlyat 39. 's-ubstantiallyas illustrated. The

drel with the latch lassembly 32.

The latch iingers 36 are releasable from holding engagement with the mandrel 24 by relative upward movement of a tripping mandrel, generally indicated at 4|, comprising a tube 42 slidable vertically on the lower end of the disc breaker mandrel stem 25 within bore 44. Normally the tripping-mandrel is supported by the engagement of its head 45 on the body shoulder 48. `The tripping mandrel may carry the usual mixer shoe 41 held in adjusted position by lock nut 48.

As previously indicated, the bailers are lowered into the well with the parts positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1. As further lowering of the tripping mandrel is arrested by its reaching the bottom of the well (or in some operations by the equivalent engagement with a plug or barrier at some intermediate location in the well) continued downward movement of the latch iingers 36 brings their divergent ends 39 against the upper end of the tripping mandrel, whereupon the ngers are spread to release the disc breaker mandrel. The latter thereupon is projected by spring 30 upwardly against the disc 22, and the resultant breaking of the disc produces Ian inflow of sand and well fluid through the mixing shoe 41 and upwardly through the mandrel passages into the charge receiving chamber I3. The bailer then is removed from the well and in the condition substantially las illustrated in Fig. 2, except for possible greater compression of the spring 3U due to the weight of the charge.

. I claim:

1. A well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber, a. closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing upward ow of well uid into said chamber, an upper tubular mandrel section carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within the body to open said closure, a spring interposed between said mandrel sectionv and the body for projecting said mandrel upwardly in its closure opening movement, means carried by-the body and initially holding said mandrel -against such upward movement, and a lower tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and depending below the body and displaceable upwardly relative to the body upon engagement with the bottom of the well to engage and release said holding means from said upper mandrel section to permit itto open said closure and permit the well fluid to dow upwardly through both mandrels into said chamber.

2. A well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber, a closure at the bottom of said-chamber and initially preventing upward flow of well iiuid intosaid chamber, an upper tubular mandrel section carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within the body to open said closure, a spring interposed between said mandrel section and the body for projecting said mandrel upwardly in its closure openingmovement, means carried by the body a-nd initially holding said mandrel against such upward movement, and a lower tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and depending below the body and telescopically receiving the lower end of the upper mandrel, said tripping mandrel,

being displaceable upwardly relative to the body upon engagement with the bottom of the well to engage and release said holding means from said upper mandrel section to permit it'to open said closureand permit the well uid to ow upwardly through both mandrels into said chamber.

3. A well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber, a closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing upward flow of well uid into said chamber, an upper tubular mandrel section carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within the body to open said closure, a spring interposed between said mandrel section and the body for projecting said mandrel upwardly in its closure opening movement, a resilient latch element initially holding said mandrel against such upward movement, and a lower tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and depending below the body and displaceable upwardly relative to the body upon engagement with the bottom of the well to i-lex and release said latch element from said upper mandrel section to permit it to open said closure and permit the well fluid to flow upwardly through both mandrels into said chamber.

4. A well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber, a closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing upward flow of well fluid into said chamber, a tubular mandrel carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within the body to open said closure, a spring interposed between said mandrel section and the body for projecting said mandrel upwardly in its closure opening movement, a plurality of .resilient latch fingers carried by the body and stationarily held each at one end thereof and initially engaging and holding the mandrel against such upward movement, and a tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and extending below the body and displaceable relatively upwardly therein when bottomed in the well to engage and flex said latch fingers from said holding engagement with the rst mentioned mandrel to permit it to open said closure and thereby permit fluid iiow up through both,

mandrels into said chamber.

5. A well bailer comprising a body containing a ary ring surrounding said mandrel within the body and carrying a plurality of integral depending spring latch fingers initially engaging a shoulder on the mandrel and holding the mandrel against such upward movement, and a tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and extending below` the body and displaceable relatively upwardly therein when bottomed in the well to flex and release said latch lingers from said holding engagement with the iirst mentioned mandrel to permit it to open said closure and thereby permit duid ow up through both mandrels into said chamber.

6. A well bailer comprising a body 'containing a charge-receiving chamber, a closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing upward flow of well fluid into said chamber,v atubular mandrel carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within the body to Open said closure, a spring interposed between said mandrel section and the body for project-ing said member upwardly in its closure opening movement, a ring surrounding said mandrel within the body andv carrying a plurality of integral depending spring latch ilngers'initially engaging a shoulder on the mandrel and holding the mandrel against such'-v upward movement, and a tubular tripping mandrel telescopically receiving the .lower end of the rst mentioned mandrel inside the body, said tripping mandrel slidably carried by and extending below the body and being displaceable upwardly relative to the body when bottomed in the well to ex and release said latch fingers from said holding engagement with the first mentioned mandrel to permit it to open said closure and thereby permit fluid iiow up through both mandrels into said chamber.

'7. A well bailer comprising a body including an upper section containing a charge-receiving chamber, a bottom section, and a tubular sub interconnecting said sections, a closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing the flow of well fluid into said chamber, an upper tubular mandrel carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within said sub to open said closure, a coil spring contained within the sub and operable to project said mandrel upwardly in its closure opening movement, means initially holding said mandrel against such upward movement, and a lower tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and depending below the body and displaceable upwardly relative to the body upon engagement with the bottom of the well to engage and release said holding means from said upper mandrel section to permit it to open said closure and permit the well fluid to flow upwardly `through both mandrels into said chamber.

8. A well bailer comprising a, body including an upper section containing a charge-receiving chamber, a bottom section, and a tubular sub interconnecting said sections,l a closure at the bottom of said chamber and initially preventing the ilow of well fluid into said chamber, an upper tubular mandrel carried by the bailer body and movable upwardly within said sub to open said closure, a coil spring contained within the sub and operable to project said mandrel upwardly in its closure opening movement, means engaged against the lower end of said sub and comprising a, latch element initially holding said mandrel against such upward movement, and a lower tubular tripping mandrel slidably carried by and depending below the body and displaceable upwardly relative to the body upon engagement with the bottom of the well to engage and release said holding means from said upper mandrel section to permit it to open said closure and permit the Well fluid to ow upwardly through both mandrels into said chamber.

EUGENE GRAHAM, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,133,383 Erwin et al. Oct. 18, 1938 2,155,601 Johnson Apr. 25, 1939 

